1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to methods for examining body surfaces for lumps or irregularities, and more particularly to a mitt for use in self or clinical examinations of the human body to detect sub-surface irregularities.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Some prior art devices and methods for breast examination are disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,982, issued Oct. 17, 1989 and entitled xe2x80x9cExamination Garmentxe2x80x9d, and in some of the references cited in that patent. One device of interest and pertaining to examination is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,021 to Perry et al., and in the article xe2x80x9cLooking for Lumpsxe2x80x9d appearing on page 77 of the Oct. 31, 1988 issue of Newsweek Magazine. In 1994, it came to my attention that there is a U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,354 issued Dec. 27, 1988 entitled xe2x80x9cTouch Enhancementxe2x80x9d as for detection of breast cancer. Since that time, a product identified as the B-D Sensibility Breast Self-Examination Aid has appeared and was described briefly in the Nov. 28, 1999 issue of Parade Magazine on page 5.
The garment disclosed in my above-mentioned patent is very effective for the purpose intended. But in the form shown in that patent, it is most easily used surrounding the torso. It has been found desirable to adopt something which does not require complete removal of undergarments in order to conduct the examination. Although the above-mentioned devices for examination disclosed in the ""021 patent and the Newsweek article do not require complete removal of undergarments, they can be awkward, relatively expensive, and require both hands to use them. The present invention is addressed to such shortcomings.
A hand-mountable device for human body examination is made from three sheets of cloth, with two sheets slidable readily over each other. The third sheet is fastened to the margins of the first two along the edges of the first two sheets, providing a hand-receiver to assist in keeping the device on the hand of the examiner during examination. The facing surfaces of the first and second sheets are readily slidable relative to each other under pressure and movement by fingers of the examiner, while the other surfaces of the first and second sheets are of a nature more inclined to stay in place on the skin of the body portion being examined and on the fingers of the examiner moving the second sheet relative to the first sheet while looking for lumps or irregularities below the surface of the skin of the body portion being examined.